State market profile

Virginia OT job market

Compare Virginia using BLS occupational therapist wage, employment, density, and concentration data from the May 2025 OEWS release, then review metro, school, and employer context.

State rank #16$102,130 mean wage4,150 OT jobs0.97 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Virginia compares for occupational therapists

The state score balances pay, role depth, role density, and occupational concentration. Raw BLS measures stay visible so readers can audit the ranking.

Mean wage$102,130BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$100,710Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment4,150Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.01OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Virginia a strong OT market for your next move?

Use the state rank as a starting point, then validate the metro, setting, employer, and school context that will shape the actual decision.

Best for

OTs who want a source-backed read on Virginia before narrowing to specific metros and employers.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 4,150 estimated OT jobs.
Readers who want metro-level comparisons instead of relying on one statewide wage number.

Watch closely

Statewide wage data does not adjust for rent, taxes, benefits, commute time, productivity model, or setting mix.
Large states can hide major metro-to-metro differences, so compare the linked city profiles before relocating.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Virginia metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $102,130 mean wage?
Which employers offer mentorship, manageable documentation, and a caseload mix that fits your goals?

Decision signals

What the state data means in practice

Statewide numbers are useful for screening, but the decision still depends on metros, employers, schools, and the specific setting you want.

Pay shape

The mean and median wage are close, which makes the published wage signal easier to interpret for typical OT roles.

Market depth

This is a meaningful statewide employment base. Applicants and clinicians should compare the strongest metros rather than treating the state as one uniform market.

Role concentration

The concentration signal is near the national baseline, so wage and employer quality may matter more than raw occupational density.

Metro markets

Best Virginia metro markets for OTs

Metro rows help separate statewide strength from the cities where jobs, wages, and OT concentration are actually concentrated.

Metro	Rank	Mean wage	Employment	Concentration
Winchester, VA-WV Score 59.2	#20	$108,700	140	2.04 LQ; 2.13 per 1,000 jobs
Richmond, VA Score 49.3	#70	$103,370	740	1.07 LQ; 1.12 per 1,000 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC Score 45.6	#100	$96,140	830	1.04 LQ; 1.09 per 1,000 jobs
Charlottesville, VA Score 44.2	#116	$103,220	140	1.21 LQ; 1.26 per 1,000 jobs
Lynchburg, VA Score 43.8	#120	$101,820	130	1.25 LQ; 1.30 per 1,000 jobs
Roanoke, VA Score 40.3	#177	$96,030	180	1.12 LQ; 1.17 per 1,000 jobs
Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA Score 39.9	#186	$92,090	80	1.46 LQ; 1.52 per 1,000 jobs
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA Score 30.5	#303	$99,350	50	0.70 LQ; 0.73 per 1,000 jobs
Harrisonburg, VA Score 28.4	#327	$95,230	50	0.70 LQ; 0.73 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Virginia

Program supply matters for applicants, fieldwork access, and local clinical networks. These rows point to source-backed school profiles where available.

Program	Location	Degree	NBCOT
Mary Baldwin University 1-24% distance; next review 2032/2033	Staunton, VA	OT Doctorate	100%
Shenandoah University 50-74% distance; next review 2029/2030	Winchester, VA	OT Doctorate	100%
James Madison University 1-24% distance; next review 2032/2033	Harrisonburg, VA	OT Masters	100%
Emory and Henry University-Marion Campus 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030	Marion, VA	OT Doctorate	95%
Virginia Commonwealth University 1-24% distance; next review 2035/2036	Richmond, VA	OT Doctorate	95%
Shenandoah University 50-74% distance; next review 2033/2034	Winchester, VA	OT Masters	95%

Compare states

Other strong OT state markets

Use peer states to check whether a relocation, school decision, or salary negotiation is anchored in the right labor-market comparison.

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